


i may never come down to earth again.

by pictureofsoph1sticatedgrace



Category: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Gap Filler, back on my bullshit!, gratuitious musical theatre fluff is my brand, rethaniel, rethaniel appreciation week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:35:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25959154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pictureofsoph1sticatedgrace/pseuds/pictureofsoph1sticatedgrace
Summary: 4x14 fill in. Rebecca coaches Nathaniel through his prince song and things take a twist.
Relationships: Rebecca Bunch/Nathaniel Plimpton
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19
Collections: Rethaniel Appreciation Week





	i may never come down to earth again.

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who's back! After a concussion and 10 months away, Rethaniel week has dragged me out of my rut and got me writing these two idiots again.
> 
> Fill for Day 1: Music or Lyrics.

“Again.”

Nathaniel takes a deep breath and begins to sing. Again. For what feels like the eightieth time. Maybe it _is_ the eightieth time. He’s lost count.

_“I have found her, she’s an angel  
With the dust of the stars in her eyes -“_

“Nathaniel!”

He stops singing, rolling his eyes to the ceiling of the small theatre in the process.

Rebecca stomps one petite foot and scoffs. “I’m sorry, did you ask for my help with this song or not?”

“I did. I just wasn’t aware it would take all evening.”

Like everything else in her life, when it comes to coaching musical theatre, Rebecca does not hold back. She’s bold and boisterous and unafraid to tell it like it is. When Connie suggested his song could use some work, he knew exactly who to ask for guidance. And so here they are, the two of them - alone in the Covina Center for the Performing Arts. It’s already been a long night of rehearsal and Nathaniel is exhausted, but Rebecca is ruthless. He’s not sure she ever runs out of energy.

“Sorry dude, but… you’re the prince. You have the song every guy in this show would kill for. With my guidance, we’ll make sure it lives up to expectations.”

“Fine. You’re the boss, musical theatre great one. So what’s the problem now?”

She shrugs, putting it simply. “I don’t believe a word you’re singing.”

Ah. There’s that bluntness he’s used to.

“And how do I change that?”

“Think about what you’re singing. “You’ve just met your _true love_ ,” she emphasizes, throwing her arms out to the side with a flourish. “She’s right in front of you for the very first time. Try again.”

He closes his eyes and counts to ten. He channels the energy of the prince in every Disney movie he’s ever had the displeasure of seeing and starts over.

_“I have found her, she’s an angel -”_

She cuts him off again. “Nope.”

Nathaniel pinches the bridge of his nose, growing more and more frustrated by the minute. “You’re not even giving me a chance to try!”

Rebecca, seemingly oblivious to Nathaniel’s discontent, suddenly lights up. “I have an idea!”

“Will this one work?” he snarks, his eyebrows reaching an impossibly high level on his forehead.

“Sing it to me,” she says.

This catches him off guard. Nathaniel, all of a sudden feeling about ten degrees warmer, gulps. “What?”

“You sing the song to me! Honestly I can’t believe I didn’t think of this earlier - it’s standard musical theatre practice. You just… pretend I’m the princess and sing it to me,” she says. “I’m the princess. We’ve just locked eyes across the ballroom. What are you feeling?”

The truth is that Nathaniel is feeling like this is headed in a very dangerous direction… but it’s not a direction he’s going to shy away from. He signed up for this god forsaken show, he’s put up with Connie’s ridiculous direction and countless scarves to the eyes and Tim’s glares his way every time he walks into the theatre just so that he could spend time with her and -

Rebecca takes a step towards him and grabs his hands, shaking him from his thoughts. “Nathaniel,” she mutters. “Focus. Just sing.”

_“I have found her, she’s an angel  
With the dust of the stars in her eyes“_

He looks her in the eyes, and it’s like some kind of switch has flipped inside him. Somehow, the song begins to make sense. He’s beginning to lose himself in it. In the lyrics. In the moment. In Rebecca.

“Good,” she whispers.

_“We are dancing, we are flying  
And she's taking me back to the skies"_

She still has a hold of his hands and he swears there’s an electric current running between the two of them. They’re swaying to the sound of his voice ever so slightly and he swears he’ll do anything to keep that smile on her face.

_“In the arms of my love, I'm flying  
Over mountain and meadow and glen  
And I like it so well  
That for all I can tell  
I may never come down again  
I may never come down to earth again.”_

He’s not sure when the two of them drifted so close together, but she’s looking up at him and he’s looking down at her and if he just moves ever so slightly her lips are _right there_ and -

Rebecca jumps back, looking like she’s been burned. “That was… really good,” she mutters.

“Thank you,” Nathaniel says, still dazed from their close call.

“I think we’re good for the night. I’ve tortured you enough,” Rebecca says with a nervous laugh.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She’s definitely right.

Rebecca heads over to the piano and starts collecting her things, stuffing her libretto in her purse and slinging the bag over her shoulder.

There’s a brief moment of quiet, a million things left unsaid hovering over them like a cloud. Rebecca is the first to break the silence.

“Hey Nathaniel?”

“Yeah?”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re really talented. You’re going to nail this song.”

He smiles, genuinely touched by her words.

“Hey Rebecca?”

“Yeah?”

“For what it’s worth, I like your new lyrics better. Connie’s wrong.”

For a moment, he’s worried he’s said the wrong thing - she looks like she’s going to cry - but then he’s caught off guard by the force of her tiny body barreling into his with a hug. He wraps his arms around her and squeezes tight.

She casts a glance up at him. “Thank you,” she says. “That really means the world to me. Maybe someday, somewhere, someone will get to hear them.”

He reluctantly lets her go and she heads to the door.

“Bye Nathaniel. Good job tonight.”

“Bye Rebecca,” he says, but she’s already slipped through the door.

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics for Nathaniel's song lovingly heisted from the musical version of "Cinderella."
> 
> A huge thank you to @heartbash for helping me to come up with the idea for this fic, and as always, big yips to @eyesontheskyline and @justwanted2dance for cheering me on. <3
> 
> Find me over on tumblr @pictureofsoph1sticatedgrace and say hello!


End file.
